Printing apparatus, control method, storage medium, and program

Abstract

To prevent mist from adhering to the periphery and to reduce energy consumption.SOLUTION: A recording apparatus includes an ejection means for ejecting liquid to a recording medium, a suction means for sucking mist on the recording medium, an acquisition means for acquiring information on a distance between the recording medium and the ejection means, and a suction control means for controlling driving of the suction means on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a recording device that records an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, there is a gap between the recording medium and the ejection head that ejects the ink. The ink ejected from the ejection head flies through this gap and lands on the recording medium. Not all of the ink ejected from the ejection head lands on the recording medium, and ink particles called mist that are not involved in recording may be generated. This mist may soil the recording medium and the recording device. Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that sucks in the mist to prevent it from scattering. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-284067 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the amount of mist suction is controlled according to the printing area ratio in order to reduce the energy consumption of the recording device. However, there is room for improvement in terms of preventing the mist from adhering to the surrounding area and reducing the energy consumption of the recording device.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for preventing mist from adhering to the surrounding area and reducing energy consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium; an acquisition unit that acquires information about the distance between the recording medium and the ejection unit; a suction control unit that controls the driving of the suction unit based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. A recording device is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for preventing mist from adhering to the surrounding area and reducing energy consumption. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a recording mechanism and a suction unit of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a carriage, an ejection head, a recording medium, and a platen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a change unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a change unit. [Figure 6] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the shape of a lift cam and the relationship between the rotation angle and the lift amount. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by a control circuit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between recording conditions and types of recording processes. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a suction stop recording process. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a mist suction recording process. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between temperature and humidity and areas A to C that distinguish distance HP. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between distance HP and air volume. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] <Outline of the recording device> 1 is an external view of a recording device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In each drawing, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect with each other, and in this embodiment, arrows X and Y are horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other and indicate the width and depth directions of the recording device 1, and arrow Z indicates the up-down direction (height direction).

[0011] The recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink as a liquid onto a recording medium to record an image on the recording medium. In this embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a serial type inkjet recording apparatus will be described, but the present invention can also be applied to other types of recording apparatus.

[0012] Furthermore, "recording" not only includes the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also includes the formation of images, patterns, designs, etc. on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether the information is visible to humans. In this embodiment, the "recording medium" is assumed to be a sheet of paper, but it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc. The recording device 1 is capable of recording on multiple types of recording media with different widths, and can record on recording media up to 60 inches in size, for example. Roll paper or cut paper can be used as the recording medium.

[0013] Recording device 1 has a holder 11 that holds roll paper as a recording medium. Images are recorded on the roll paper supplied from holder 11 in recording mechanism 10, which is covered with top cover 12. Recording device 1 also has a tray (not shown) that introduces cut paper into the device, and it is also possible for recording images on cut paper in recording mechanism 10.

[0014] The ink consumed by the recording mechanism 10 is stored in a tank unit 17. The tank unit 17 contains multiple ink tanks that store ink of colors such as black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. The roll paper on which the image has been recorded is discharged outside the machine through the discharge port 13. The discharged roll paper is stacked on a guide 16.

[0015] A suction unit 14 is provided on the back of the recording device 1, which sucks up ink mist generated on the recording medium during recording in the recording mechanism 10 and discharges it from the recording medium. The recording device 1 also has an operation display unit 15 as a user interface. The operation display unit 15 is configured, for example, with a touch panel. The operation display unit 15 displays various recording information and setting results, and also accepts various settings such as recording conditions from the user.

[0016] 2 is an explanatory diagram of the recording mechanism 10 and the suction unit 14. The recording mechanism 10 includes a carriage 201 that can move back and forth in the width direction of the recording medium 200 (the direction of arrow A, which is the main scanning direction in the Y direction), and a transport unit 208 that transports the recording medium 200 in the direction of arrow B (the direction of arrow X, which is the sub-scanning direction).

[0017] A plurality of ejection heads 203 are mounted on the carriage 201. Each ejection head 203 ejects liquid. In this embodiment, each ejection head 203 is a print head that ejects ink supplied from a tank unit 17 onto a print medium 200 to print an image. Each ejection head 203 is arranged to face a platen 209. Ink is ejected from an ejection orifice surface on the lower surface of the ejection head 203 onto the print medium 200 supported by the platen 209. A plurality of ejection orifices (nozzles) that eject ink are formed on the ejection orifice surface. Each nozzle is provided with, for example, an electrothermal conversion element (heater), which is heated by passing electricity through the element to cause the ink to foam, and the resulting foaming energy is used to eject the ink.

[0018] The recording mechanism 10 also includes a moving mechanism 202 that moves the carriage 201 back and forth in direction A. During the movement of the carriage 201, an image is recorded by ejecting ink from an ejection head 203 onto a recording medium 200. This operation is sometimes called a recording scan.

[0019] In this embodiment, the movement mechanism 202 is a belt transmission mechanism. Specifically, the movement mechanism 202 includes two pulleys 202b spaced apart in the X direction, an endless belt 202a wound around the two pulleys 202, and a carriage motor 202c that is a drive source for rotating the pulley 202b. The carriage 201 is fixed to the endless belt 202a. The carriage motor 202c drives the endless belt 202a, allowing the carriage 201 to move along a guide 204 extending in the X direction. The position of the carriage 201 can be detected by an encoder sensor 205 mounted on the carriage 201 reading a linear scale 206 extending in the X direction.

[0020] The carriage 201 is electrically connected to a main board 211 via a flexible flat cable (hereinafter referred to as FFC) 210. Power is supplied from the main board 211 to the ejection head 203 via the FFC 210. In addition, the main board 211 acquires the detection result of the encoder sensor 205 via the FFC 210.

[0021] The transport unit 208 is a mechanism for transporting the recording medium 200 between the ejection head 203 and the platen 209, and includes a transport roller 208a extending in the X direction and a transport motor (not shown) that is a drive source for rotating the transport roller 208a. A plurality of driven rollers 208b are pressed against the transport roller 208a, and the recording medium 200 is sandwiched between these nip portions. The rotation of the transport roller 208a intermittently transports the recording medium 200 to the ejection head 203. The printing operation is performed by alternately repeating the transport operation of the recording medium 200 by the transport unit 208 and print scanning.

[0022] When recording onto the recording medium 200 is completed, the recording medium 200 is cut by the cutting mechanism 213. Cutting of the recording medium 200 can be selected by the operation display unit 15 or a host device such as a personal computer connected to the recording device 1.

[0023] The suction unit 14 is disposed behind the carriage 201 in the Y direction, and ink mist generated by printing on the printing medium 200 is sucked in the direction of arrow 216 by the suction unit 14 and discharged from above the printing medium 200. The suction unit 14 includes an electric fan 14a, a collection section 14b, and an exhaust port 14c. An airflow in the direction of arrow 216 is generated by the electric fan 14a, and the ink mist is introduced into the collection section 14b. The collection section 14b has a built-in mist filter to prevent the ink mist from being discharged outside the apparatus, and the ink mist is collected by the collection section 14b. The air from which the ink mist has been collected is exhausted outside the apparatus through the exhaust port 14c.

[0024] A maintenance unit 208 is disposed at one end of the movement range of the carriage 201. The maintenance unit 208 is disposed outside the printing area (outside the ejection area) of the ejection head 203, and performs processes related to the recovery and maintenance of the ejection performance of the ejection head 203. Examples of such processes include a preliminary ejection that ejects a predetermined amount of ink that does not contribute to image printing before a printing operation, and a process of suctioning remaining ink from the ejection openings of the ejection head 203.

[0025] The recording apparatus 1 can be equipped with an adjustment unit that can change the height (height of the ejection surface) of the ejection head 203 relative to the platen 209. The height of the ejection head 203 relative to the platen 209 is sometimes referred to as the distance HP. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the carriage 201, ejection head 203, recording medium 200, and platen 209. In general, the amount of ink mist tends to increase as the distance H between the ejection port surface 203a of the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200 increases. The distance H has the relationship distance H = distance HP - thickness of the recording medium 200. Changing the height of the ejection head 203 also changes the distance H.

[0026] 4 and 5 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the adjustment unit 207. The adjustment unit 207 includes a lift cam 117 and a lift motor 121 that drives the lift cam 117. The adjustment unit 207 raises and lowers the ejection head 203 via the carriage 201, thereby enabling adjustment of the distance HP in accordance with predetermined conditions such as the type, thickness, and printing mode of the recording medium 200. Note that it is the distance H that affects the landing accuracy of the ink ejected by the ejection head 203. However, because the distance H is the distance HP minus the thickness of the recording medium 200, it is possible to substantially adjust the distance H by adjusting the distance HP.

[0027] The carriage 201 includes a main carriage 114 that carries the ejection head 203, and a rear carriage 115 that is connected to the endless belt 202a, which are connected via the outer periphery of a lift shaft 116 and a lift cam 117. The main carriage 114 is equipped with an optical multi-sensor 122 that has multiple measurement functions. The multi-sensor 122 can be configured to include optical components such as a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. This multi-sensor 122 can detect the position of the edge of the recording medium 200, etc.

[0028] A lift coupling 118 is provided at the end of the lift shaft 116. The lift coupling 118 is connected to a drive-side coupling 120 when the carriage 201 moves to a predetermined position along the guides 204 and 113. The drive-side coupling 120 is connected to a lift motor 121. When the lift motor 121 rotates in the CW direction with the lift coupling 118 and the drive-side coupling 120 connected, the lift coupling 118 and the lift shaft 116 and lift cam 117 connected thereto rotate together.

[0029] 6 is a diagram showing the shape of the lift cam 117 and the relationship between the rotation angle of the lift cam 117 and the lift amount. The outer periphery of the lift cam 117 has a smooth arc shape that is eccentric with respect to the lift shaft 116, and is supported by a cam support surface provided on the rear carriage 115. With this configuration, when the lift cam 117 is rotated by the lift motor 121, the cam support surface and the lift shaft 116 move closer to or farther apart depending on the amount of eccentricity, changing the relative height of the main carriage 114 with respect to the rear carriage 115. This also changes the distance HP.

[0030] Furthermore, the shape of the lift cam 117 is configured so that the amount of eccentricity increases when the lift cam 117 rotates in the CW direction (clockwise direction) in the rotation angle range of the lift use section. Therefore, if the angle of the lift cam 117 can be controlled to stop the lift cam 117 at a predetermined angle and maintain that angle, the height of the discharge head 203 can be freely controlled.

[0031] Here, since the outer periphery of lift cam 117 and the cam support surface are configured to always have an angle, even if lift cam 117 stops at a predetermined rotation angle, if external vibration or the like is applied, it may not be able to maintain that rotation angle and may start rotating. For this reason, a one-way clutch 148 is attached to lift shaft 116, which is configured so that lift shaft 116 can only rotate in one direction (CW direction).

[0032] With this configuration, in the lift use section, rotation of the lift cam 117 in the CW direction from a state where it has stopped at a certain rotation angle will result in rotation in a direction that increases the eccentricity of the lift cam 117. For this reason, in order for the lift cam 117 to rotate from a stopped state, a torque sufficient to lift the main carriage 114 is required, and it will not be able to rotate without the driving force of a motor or the like. Furthermore, rotation in the CCW direction (counterclockwise direction) is prevented by the one-way clutch 148. With this configuration, even with a lift cam 117 that has a smooth outer periphery, it is possible to prevent rotation of the lift shaft 116 due to external vibrations, etc.

[0033] The lift cam 117 is provided with a flag 134 that displaces with the rotation of the lift cam 117 so that the phase (rotation angle) of the cam can be determined. The starting point of the lift cam 117 is when the flag 134 blocks light from the light-emitting element of the photosensor 135 provided on the rear carriage 115 side (ON), or when it changes from blocking light to transmitting light (OFF).

[0034] The angle of the lift cam 117 is controlled by rotating the lift motor 121 by a desired amount, with this ON or OFF timing set as the starting point, i.e., 0 degrees. For example, the lift motor 121 may be equipped with an optical encoder therein, which detects its rotation angle with high resolution. The rotation angle of the lift cam 117 may then be obtained based on the rotation angle of the lift motor 121. The rotation angle of the lift cam 117 is converted into a distance HP, and the distance HP is stored as distance information, for example, in RAM 305 (described later). Note that well-known techniques can be appropriately adopted to detect the starting point of the lift cam 117 and the rotation angle of the lift motor.

[0035] <Control system configuration> 7 is a block diagram of the control circuit 303 of the recording device 1. The control circuit 303 is connected to the host device 302. The control circuit 303 includes at least one processor and at least one storage device, and the processor executes a program stored in the storage device. Specifically, the control circuit 303 includes a CPU 308, a printer engine 307, a data input unit 309, a RAM controller 310, a ROM controller 311, and an operation display unit controller 316. These modules of the control circuit 303 are connected to each other via a system bus bridge 312.

[0036] The CPU 308 issues commands to each block in the image control 303, controlling the entire system. The data input unit 309 receives a print job from the host device 302 and stores the input image data in the RAM 305 via the RAM controller 310. The printer engine 307 receives the data from the RAM 305 via the RAM controller 310, converts it into an image data format used by the ejection head 203, and transmits the converted data to the ejection head 203 in accordance with information from the sensor group 315. An example of information from the sensor group 315 is position information of the carriage 201. The sensor group 315 may also include, for example, an environmental sensor that detects the environment where the printing apparatus 1 is installed. The environmental sensor may be a temperature and humidity sensor that detects the temperature and humidity of the location where the printing apparatus 1 is installed.

[0037] Program data and various parameters are stored in the ROM 306 and are sent to the RAM controller and the printer engine via a ROM controller 311. The control circuit 303 may be realized as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) sealed in a single package as a system LSI.

[0038] The drive circuit 317 drives the electric fan 14a of the suction unit 14. The electric fan 14a can be controlled by, for example, ON / OFF control or PWM control. In the case of PWM control, the electric fan 14a can be controlled by a PWM signal from the printer engine 307. For example, the rotation speed of the electric fan 14a can be increased by bringing the duty ratio of the PWM signal closer to 100%, and conversely, the rotation speed of the electric fan 14a can be reduced by bringing the duty ratio of the PWM signal closer to 0%. Note that the driving of the electric fan 14a can be stopped by setting the duty ratio of the PWM signal to 0%.

[0039] <Control example> 8 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the CPU 308 of the control circuit 303. The flowchart shows a control process for a printing operation that is performed when a printing job is received from the host device 302.

[0040] In step S1, the printing conditions included in the received printing job are obtained. Also, printing information indicating the distance HP is obtained from the RAM 305. In step S2, the conveying roller 208a is driven to perform a paper feeding operation.

[0041] In steps S3 and S4, a process is performed to select either a suction stop recording process or a mist suction recording process as the recording process during the recording operation. These recording processes differ in the suction control related to the drive of the suction unit 14. In the suction stop recording process, the suction unit 14 does not suction ink mist during the recording operation. In the mist suction recording process, the suction unit 14 suctions ink mist during the recording operation.

[0042] First, in step S3, a recording process is selected based on the recording conditions acquired in step S1. FIG. 9 shows an example of the relationship between recording conditions and recording processes. Four recording conditions are exemplified: type of recording medium 200, paper feed method, recording method (type of recorded image), and quality. The recording method "line drawing" refers to the recording of CAD drawings, for example. "Photograph" refers to the recording of photographs such as posters. The quality conditions "fast" and "clear" refer to conditions related to the image recording speed and image resolution. "Fast" refers to a fast recording speed but low resolution. "Clear" refers to a slow recording speed but high resolution. In the example shown, mist suction recording is generally selected for options that tend to result in a large amount of ink being deposited, and suction stop recording is generally selected for options that tend to result in a small amount of ink being deposited.

[0043] 7, if the mist suction recording process is selected for any one of the conditions, the mist suction recording process is selected for the current recording job, and the process proceeds to step S6. If the suction stop recording process is selected for all of the conditions, the suction stop process is tentatively selected for the current recording job, and the process proceeds to step S4.

[0044] In step S4, a recording process is selected based on the distance information acquired in step S1. When the ejection head 203 is close to the recording medium 200, the percentage of ink ejected from the ejection head 203 that lands on the recording medium 200 increases. On the other hand, when the ejection head 203 is farther from the recording medium 200, the percentage of ink ejected from the ejection head 203 that lands on the recording medium 200 decreases, which may increase the amount of ink mist generated.

[0045] In this embodiment, if the distance HP is a certain length, the suction unit 14 is driven, but if the distance HP is another length that is shorter, the suction unit 14 is not driven. Specifically, in step S4, if the relationship of distance HP≦threshold T holds, the distance H between the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200 is considered to be short, suction stop processing is selected, and processing proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the relationship of distance HP>threshold T holds, the distance H between the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200 is considered to be long, mist suction recording is selected, and processing proceeds to step S6.

[0046] In step S5, a suction stop recording process is executed, and in step S6, a mist suction recording process is executed. These processes will be described in detail later.

[0047] In step S7, the recording medium 200 is cut by the cutting mechanism 213. For example, if roll paper is used as the recording medium 200, this is cut. If cutting of the recording medium 200 is not necessary, the process of step S7 is skipped. In step S8, the recording medium 200 is ejected. In step S9, it is determined whether or not there is a next page, and if there is, the process returns to step S2 and the same process is repeated. If there is not a next page, the process ends.

[0048] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the suction stop recording process of step S5. In step S11, it is determined whether or not preliminary ejection of the ejection head 203 is required in the maintenance unit 208. If preliminary ejection is required, the process proceeds to step S12; if not, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0049] In step S12, the suction operation by the suction unit 14 is started. Specifically, the electric fan 14a is driven. In step S13, the carriage 201 is moved above the maintenance unit 208, and preliminary ejection is performed to eject ink from the ejection head 203. In preliminary ejection, ink is ejected from each nozzle of the ejection head 203, which tends to result in a large amount of ink mist. For this reason, preliminary ejection is performed during the suction operation by the suction unit 14. When preliminary ejection is completed, the process proceeds to step S14, where the suction operation by the suction unit 14 is stopped. Specifically, the driving of the electric fan 14a is stopped.

[0050] In step S15, the printing operation for one line is executed. In step S16, it is determined whether printing for one page has been completed. If not, the process returns to step S11 and the same process is repeated. If completed, the process ends.

[0051] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the mist suction recording process in step S6. In step S21, the suction operation by the suction unit 14 is started. Specifically, the electric fan 14a is driven. In step S22, the maintenance unit 208 determines whether or not preliminary ejection of the ejection head 203 is required. If preliminary ejection is required, the process proceeds to step S23; if preliminary ejection is not required, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0052] In step S23, the carriage 201 is moved above the maintenance unit 208, and a preliminary ejection is performed to eject ink from the ejection head 203. In step S24, a recording operation for one line is performed. In step S25, it is determined whether or not recording for one page has been completed, and if not, the process returns to step S22 and repeats the same process. If completed, the process proceeds to step S26. In step S26, the suction operation by the suction unit 14 is stopped. Specifically, the driving of the electric fan 14a is stopped. Thereafter, the process ends.

[0053] As described above, in this embodiment, the distance H between the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200 is taken into consideration when the suction unit 14 operates during a recording operation. As a result, if the distance H causes a large amount of ink mist to be generated, the suction unit 14 can remove the ink mist. This prevents the ink mist from contaminating the recording medium 200 or affecting the lifespan of peripheral devices. On the other hand, if the amount of ink mist generated decreases, the suction unit 14 can be stopped to avoid unnecessary power consumption and reduce energy consumption.

[0054] <Distance HP Change> The distance HP can be changed depending on various conditions. For example, the distance HP can be changed by a user instruction. The user may want to change the distance HP to avoid contact between the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200 depending on the thickness or warping of the recording medium 200 being used. When the user instructs the operation display unit 15 to increase or decrease the distance HP, the control circuit 303 drives the lift motor 121 in accordance with the instruction to increase or decrease the distance HP.

[0055] The distance HP may also be automatically changed by the control circuit 303. Factors for this change include the recording conditions and the installation environment of the recording device 1. An example of a recording condition is the setting of the thickness of the recording medium 200. If the thickness of the recording medium 200 is thick, the distance HP may be increased, and if the thickness is thin, the distance HP may be decreased. Another example of a recording condition is the setting of the quality. If the image quality is to be high, the distance HP may be decreased, and if the image quality is normal, the distance HP may be increased.

[0056] The installation environment can include temperature and humidity. The temperature and humidity can be determined from the detection results of the temperature and humidity sensors included in the sensor group 315. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between temperature and humidity and areas A to C that distinguish the distance HP. Area B is an area in which the distance HP is set to a standard length. Area A is an area in which the distance HP is set to a relatively long distance. Area C is an area in which the distance HP is set to a relatively short distance. In a high humidity environment, the recording medium 200 is prone to curling, so the distance HP is set to a long distance to avoid contact between the ejection head 203 and the recording medium 200. In a high temperature environment, the ink is prone to drying, so the distance HP is set to a short distance.

[0057] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, the suction unit 14 was switched on and off during printing depending on the printing conditions and distance information (S4 to S6 in FIG. 8), but the airflow of the suction unit 14 may also be increased or decreased. The airflow of the suction unit 14 may also be controlled by changing the duty ratio of the PWM signal that drives the electric fan 14a. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the distance HP and the airflow. In the illustrated example, when the distance HP is relatively short, the airflow is reduced to reduce power consumption, and when the distance HP is long, the airflow is increased to facilitate the removal of ink mist.

[0058] Next, in the above embodiment, the recording conditions are taken into consideration when selecting either the suction stop recording process or the mist suction recording process (S3 in FIG. 8), but the selection may also be based on the distance HP without taking the recording conditions into consideration (S4 in FIG. 8).

[0059] Next, in the above embodiment, a mechanism for changing the height of the ejection head 203 was exemplified as a mechanism for changing the distance HP, but a mechanism for changing the height of the platen 209 may also be used.

[0060] Next, in the above embodiment, the distance HP was used as distance information relating to the distance between the recording medium 200 and the ejection head 203, but the distance H may also be used. The distance H may be calculated from the distance HP and information about the thickness of the recording medium 200, or may be actually measured by a sensor. For example, the multi-sensor 122 may be used as a sensor for actually measuring the distance H. When the distance H is used as distance information, the present invention is also applicable to devices that do not have a mechanism for changing the distance HP. In this case, since the distance HP is fixed, the distance H will vary depending on the thickness of the recording medium 200.

[0061] Next, in the above embodiment, a serial type recording device 1 is exemplified in which the ejection head 203 ejects ink while moving in accordance with the movement of the carriage 201. However, the present invention is also applicable to a full-line type recording device in which the ejection head 203 has a length equivalent to the width of the recording medium 200.

[0062] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program.The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0063] <Summary of the embodiment> The above embodiment discloses at least the following inventions.

[0064] Item 1. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium; an acquisition unit that acquires information about the distance between the recording medium and the ejection unit; a suction control unit that controls the driving of the suction unit based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. A recording device characterized by:

[0065] Item 2. Item 1. The recording device according to item 1, the suction control means controls whether or not the suction means is driven based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

[0066] Item 3. The recording device according to item 1, The suction control means controls the air volume of the suction means based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

[0067] Item 4. The recording device according to item 1, the suction control means controls the driving of the suction means based on the recording conditions and the information acquired by the acquisition means. A recording device characterized by:

[0068] Item 5. Item 4. The recording device according to item 4, the suction control means controls whether or not the suction means is driven during a recording operation, When the recording condition is a first recording condition, the suction means is driven; If the recording condition is a second recording condition, whether or not to drive the suction means is determined based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

[0069] Item 6. Item 4 or Item 5. The recording device according to item 4 or 5, the recording conditions are conditions related to the type of the recording medium; A recording device characterized by:

[0070] Item 7. Item 4 or Item 5. The recording device according to item 4 or 5, the recording conditions are conditions related to image resolution; A recording device characterized by:

[0071] Item 8. Item 4 or Item 5. The recording device according to item 4 or 5, the recording conditions are conditions related to a recording speed; A recording device characterized by:

[0072] Item 9. The recording device according to item 1, a platen facing the ejection means, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the information indicating the distance between the platen and the discharge means; A recording device characterized by:

[0073] Item 10. Item 9. The recording device according to item 9, The suction control means activating the suction means when the distance is a first distance; When the distance is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance, the suction means is not driven. A recording device characterized by:

[0074] Item 11. Item 9. The recording device according to item 9, The suction control means When the distance is a first distance, the suction means is controlled in a first manner; When the distance is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance, the suction means is controlled in a second manner; In the first aspect, the air volume of the suction means is larger than that in the second aspect. A recording device characterized by:

[0075] Item 12. The recording device according to any one of items 9 to 11, A change means for changing the distance is provided. A recording device characterized by:

[0076] Item 13. Item 13. The recording device according to item 12, The distance is changed by the change unit depending on the environment in which the recording device is installed. A recording device characterized by:

[0077] Item 14. Item 13. The recording device according to item 12, when the humidity of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a first humidity, the change unit sets the distance to a first distance; when the humidity of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a second humidity higher than the first humidity, the change unit changes the distance to a second distance longer than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

[0078] Item 15. Item 13. The recording device according to item 12, when the temperature of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a first temperature, the change unit sets the distance to a first distance; when the temperature of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a second temperature higher than the first temperature, the change unit changes the distance to a second distance shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

[0079] Item 16. Item 13. The recording device according to item 12, The distance is changed by the change means in response to an instruction from a user. A recording device characterized by:

[0080] Item 17. The recording device according to item 1, the information indicates a distance of the ejection means relative to the recording medium; A recording device characterized by:

[0081] Item 18. The recording device according to any one of items 1 to 17, the ejection means is capable of performing a preliminary ejection operation of ejecting liquid that does not contribute to image recording, the suction control means drives the suction means during the preliminary ejection operation; A recording device characterized by:

[0082] Item 19. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a platen facing the ejection means; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the suction means is driven when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a first distance; the suction means is not driven when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

[0083] Item 20. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a platen facing the ejection means; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the suction means increases the airflow when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a first distance compared to when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

[0084] Item 21. A control method for a recording apparatus including a discharge unit that discharges a liquid onto a recording medium and a suction unit that sucks mist from the recording medium, the method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring information about the distance between the recording medium and the ejection means; a suction control step of controlling the driving of the suction means based on the information acquired in the acquisition step. A control method comprising:

[0085] Item 22. A storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the control method described in item 19.

[0086] Item 23. Item 19. A program that causes a computer to execute the control method according to Item 19.

[0087] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 recording device, 14 suction unit, 203 ejection head, 303 control circuit

Claims

1. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium; an acquisition unit that acquires information about the distance between the recording medium and the ejection unit; a suction control unit that controls the driving of the suction unit based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. A recording device characterized by:

2. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, the suction control means controls whether or not the suction means is driven based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

3. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, The suction control means controls the air volume of the suction means based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

4. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, the suction control means controls the driving of the suction means based on the recording conditions and the information acquired by the acquisition means. A recording device characterized by:

5. 5. The recording device according to claim 4, the suction control means controls whether or not the suction means is driven during a recording operation, When the recording condition is a first recording condition, the suction means is driven; If the recording condition is a second recording condition, whether or not to drive the suction means is determined based on the information. A recording device characterized by:

6. 5. The recording device according to claim 4, the recording conditions are conditions related to the type of the recording medium; A recording device characterized by:

7. 5. The recording device according to claim 4, the recording conditions are conditions related to image resolution; A recording device characterized by:

8. 5. The recording device according to claim 4, the recording conditions are conditions related to a recording speed; A recording device characterized by:

9. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, a platen facing the ejection means, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the information indicating the distance between the platen and the discharge means; A recording device characterized by:

10. 10. The recording device according to claim 9, The suction control means activating the suction means when the distance is a first distance; When the distance is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance, the suction means is not driven. A recording device characterized by:

11. 10. The recording device according to claim 9, The suction control means When the distance is a first distance, the suction means is controlled in a first manner; When the distance is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance, the suction means is controlled in a second manner; In the first aspect, the air volume of the suction means is larger than that in the second aspect. A recording device characterized by:

12. 10. The recording device according to claim 9, A change means for changing the distance is provided. A recording device characterized by:

13. 13. The recording device according to claim 12, The distance is changed by the change unit depending on the environment in which the recording device is installed. A recording device characterized by:

14. 13. The recording device according to claim 12, when the humidity of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a first humidity, the change unit sets the distance to a first distance; when the humidity of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a second humidity higher than the first humidity, the change unit changes the distance to a second distance longer than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

15. 13. The recording device according to claim 12, when the temperature of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a first temperature, the change unit sets the distance to a first distance; when the temperature of the environment in which the recording device is installed is a second temperature higher than the first temperature, the change unit changes the distance to a second distance shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

16. 13. The recording device according to claim 12, The distance is changed by the change means in response to an instruction from a user. A recording device characterized by:

17. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, the information indicates a distance of the ejection means relative to the recording medium; A recording device characterized by:

18. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, the ejection means is capable of performing a preliminary ejection operation of ejecting liquid that does not contribute to image recording, the suction control means drives the suction means during the preliminary ejection operation; A recording device characterized by:

19. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a platen facing the ejection means; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the suction means is driven when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a first distance; the suction means is not driven when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

20. a discharge means for discharging a liquid onto a recording medium; a platen facing the ejection means; a suction means for sucking the mist from the recording medium, The recording medium is transported between the ejection means and the platen, the suction means increases the airflow when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a first distance compared to when the distance between the platen and the discharge means is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance; A recording device characterized by:

21. A control method for a recording apparatus including a discharge unit that discharges a liquid onto a recording medium and a suction unit that sucks mist from the recording medium, the method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring information about the distance between the recording medium and the ejection means; a suction control step of controlling the driving of the suction means based on the information acquired in the acquisition step. A control method comprising:

22. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 21.

23. A program that causes a computer to execute the control method according to claim 21.

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